Chris Billam-Smith is set to run it back versus the only fighter to hang a defeat on his record.
The reigning WBO cruiserweight titlist is signed and sealed for a rematch versus unbeaten contender Richard Riakporhe. Ben Shalom, founder of BOXXER and the promoter for both boxers, confirmed the news to Sky Sports on Thursday that they’ve agreed to a fight, with the date and location to be determined.
Two football stadiums were teased as the leading candidates to land the clash: Selhurst Park, home to the Crystal Palace Football Club in Croydon, London; and Vitality Stadium, home to AFC Bournemouth and also the home location for Billam-Smith, who strongly suggested the latter was very much in play.
“Selhurst Park seems a bit random, considering [Riakporhe] is a Millwall [Football Club] fan,” Billam-Smith tweeted in his playful opposition to the London locale. “See you all back soon back at Vitality. Up the Cherries.”
Billam-Smith (19-1, 13KOs) has fought in Bournemouth for each of his past four fights. Chief among them was his upset win over then unbeaten WBO title claimant Lawrence Okolie (19-1, 14KOs) last May 27 at Vitality Stadium. He has made one successful defense, a come-from-behind, eighth-round stoppage of Poland’s Mateusz Masternak on December 10 at ‘The BIC’ (Bournemouth International Center).
All told, the 33-year-old cruiserweight has won ten in a row since a split decision defeat to Riakporhe (17-0, 13KOs) in their July 2019 battle of unbeaten prospects at The O2 in London.
Riakporhe appeared on course to challenge for a major title in 2023, only to get stuck in a holding pattern. The 34-year-old Londoner began the year with a fourth-round knockout of former WBO titlist Krzysztof Glowacki last January 21 in Manchester. It was later learned that Glowacki tested positive for a banned substance, for which he was dealt a four-year ban.
The win positioned Riakporhe as the mandatory challenger to lineal and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia. Their ordered bout headed to a purse bid hearing, only for Riakporhe’s team to pull their charge from the process on the morning of the session.
His lone fight since then was a second-round knockout of woefully overmatched Dylan Bregeon on November 18 in Wolverhampton.
Riakporhe will now enter his first career title fight and is given the chance to twice defeat Billam-Smith.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox